Sound Transit’s East Link light rail extension project is bringing high-quality rail transit to Redmond with service starting at two stations in Overlake in 2023. One station will be located at the north end of 152nd Ave NE, adjacent to SR 520, in Overlake Village while the other station will be at the Overlake Transit Center near the intersection of SR 520 and NE 40th St. Once the project is complete, travelers from the Overlake Transit Center will enjoy 10-minute trips to Downtown Bellevue and 30-minute trips to Downtown Seattle on tracks separated from automobile traffic.

Preparing for Light Rail

Coordination with Sound Transit

The City of Redmond is coordinating with Sound Transit on all aspects of bringing rail to Overlake. Now that the route and station locations have been established, Sound Transit and the City are designing elements associated with the stations and the route between them. Sound Transit is also coordinating with the city on how to engage the community throughout the design and construction phases. Since much of the light rail line is being built within the State Route 520 corridor, Sound Transit will also be working with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Transit Oriented Development

In 2007 the Redmond City Council adopted the Overlake Neighborhood Plan, which calls for a transformation of the Overlake Village area to a vibrant and walkable urban village with jobs, housing, and retail.

New Connections

The 2008 vote provided enough funding to complete the East Link project between Downtown Seattle and the Overlake Transit Center; the final connection to Downtown Redmond will need to be funded by a future voter-approved measure. In the meantime, Redmond is working with others to maximize access to the two Overlake stations by improving transit service to the station areas, adding new pedestrian and bicycle connections, and increasing the number of commuter parking spaces at the Overlake Transit Center. Planned projects include:

New pedestrian and bicycle bridges across SR 520 at the Overlake Village and Overlake Transit Center stations

High-quality bicycle infrastructure along 152nd Ave NE in Overlake Village

Trail crossing improvements at NE 40th St and NE 51st St

Sound Transit 3

The next phase of light rail expansion ("ST3") is expected to extend East Link from Overlake Transit Center to Southeast Redmond and Downtown. The City of Redmond is tracking the development of ST3 and working to help shape it. See Sound Transit's ST3 page for more information